Automatic steering means



Oct. 11, 1938. B. CHANCE AUTOMATIC STEERING MEANS Filed May 4, 1935 M/VLWIUR 1 2 Sheets-Sheet l V sk 64M SS REFERENCE 0a. 11, 1938. a. CHANCE AUTOMATIC STEERING MEANS Filed May 4, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE One object of the present invention is to bend a ray of light or radiant energy prior to its pro- Jection onto electronic cells or valves and in response to follow-back mechanism operated by et- 5 fects caused by the travel of the incidence of the ray or beam in'resp'ect to the cells or valves, due to deviation from the course.

Another object of the invention is to provide an optical system in which deflection of a ray or beam is magnified so that the automatic steering instrument can be made comparatively short.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description at the end of which the invention will be claimed.

Generally stated, the invention consists in means for providing a beam of radiant energy or light, a reflector or optical means rotatably fixed in space for normally directing said beam into a position fixed in space, electronic valve devices or cells bi-sected by the incidence of said beam when in normal position in space and upon angular displacement from such position operative to produce difierent effects, and follow-back means actuated by such effects and operative to change the incidence of the beam with respect to said optical means or reflector to correlate said effects.

The invention also consists in a group of electronic valve devices or cells movable upon devia- 0 tion from the course and having means providing a directionally fixed beam or ray of radiant energy, and a compass card provided with a reflector which sends the beam or ray back to the cells or valves with a magnification of the angle of their displacement.

In the following description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which,

Figure l is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating optical means operated by the followbaclr mechanism for bending the ray or beam prior to its reflection by the compass card reflector.

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating mechanical means employed for the purpose recited in 5 the description oi Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view illustrating diagrammatically electrical means as a modification.

Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating another modification, and

- 50 Figure 5 is a diagrammatic lay-out typical of circuits and connections that may be employed.

Referring to Figure 1 there is a reflector 24 mounted on the compass card 23. The source 25,

light which falls upon the turnably mounted refle'ctor 26 and is by it reflected on the mirror 24. The light sensitive devices I, 2 and 3 are mounted on the craft, for example as shown in Fig. 4,

so that their position is changed when the craft 5 changes its course. From the mirror 24 when the craft or vessel is on its course the beam or ray falls on the cell 2. Should the vessel or craft deviate from its course one or the other of the cells I and 3 will passthe beam of light and be 10 energized and will effect actuation of the rudder 4 in proper direction for correcting the deviation, through the instrumentalities described hereinafter. Thereafter the follow-back mechanism comes into action and turns the reflector 26 so 15 that the ray or beam is caused to fall again on the middle cell 2. a

The modification shown in' Figure 2 as to its construction and operation is as above described except as follows: In this case the light source 20 28 or source of radiant energy is bodily moved along the rails 29 through the intervention of the rack and gear 30. v

The construction and mode of operation of the modification illustrated in Figure 3 are as above 5 described except that the filament 3| is shifted which causes the beam or ray to pass through the lens 32 at different points away from its center so that the ray is bent. One way to shift the filament 3| is to provide a relay circuit 33 having 30 two branches 34 and 35, each containing an electromagnet 36 and ,3! and resistances 43 and 4|, and controlled by the spring balanced contact 38 actuated by the cables I9 and 20 of the follow-- back mechanism. As shown in dotted lines, the a5 lever 38 is supposed to have been shifted tokthe dotted line position and in that position the circuit is by 33, 4|, 35, magnet coil 31 back to the battery. The coil 3! is energized and the filament is polarized so that it assumes the dotted 0 line position.

The construction and mode of operation of the modification illustrated in Figure 4 are as above described except as follows: The source of the ray or beam 33 is mounted on the cell 2 and falls 45 upon the reflector 24 mounted on the compass card 23. The result of this is that upon deviation from the course the angle at which the beam falls on one or the other of the cells I and 3 is greater than the angle of deviation. By reason of this deviation the instrument, as a whole, can be made comparatively short. In the drawings the cells are shown as mounted upon a carrier 43 pivoted concentrically with the compass card Int-beams umaamxm-mm-' Icldm:

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BRITIDNCHANCI. 

